VII 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



295 



left my men. Before leaving these men, I had in- 

 structed them to make a camp ; and when I arrived 

 at the place, I found they had thrown up a small thorn 

 zeriba about thirty feet in diameter near the bed of the 

 dried watercourse. I presented the natives with some 

 beads, and told them that this was but a small portion 

 of my caravan, that the rest would join me in two or 

 three days, and that meanwhile I would like them to 

 take my greetings to their chiefs, and ask them to see 

 me on the morrow. Their one cry was, " Gumbao " 

 (Tobacco). Luckily we had taken with us several 

 loads of this when leaving Daitcho ; so we were able to 

 satisfy their craving. They soon left, with assurances 

 that some of their chiefs would come on the morrow. 



It was then imperative that Lieutenant von Hohnel 

 and the rest of the caravan should join me as promptly 

 as possible, but I knew he would find it difficult in 

 bringing all the loads to this point ; so I decided to 

 retain but four of the men, and send the rest back to 

 him to assist in the transport of the loads. Mayolo 

 pressed me to allow him to return. He said it was 

 madness to remain where we were with but four or five 

 people ; that the Rendile were bad and treacherous ; 

 that he had lived among them for years, and that he 

 knew they Vv^ould murder us, if we remained where we 

 were. I told him, however, that I was a great medicine- 

 man, and that the Rendile would not dare to touch 

 me ; but, fearing lest he should escape, I took pains to 

 tie him up in the camp. As the moon was full, I 

 knew the men would reach Seran next morning; and 

 I hoped that, before the following day had elapsed, we 

 should once more be together. 



